That 116i seems to lack a lot of things, like screen and iDrive.
Our 116i has a sliding armrest. I just don't understand why people want that feature. It is very annoying. One thing is that is actually obstructs my elbows when I'm steering, but it even fails to support my elbow if I try to lean on it. Instead it slides away.

That 116i seems to lack a lot of things, like screen and iDrive.
Our 116i has a sliding armrest. I just don't understand why people want that feature. It is very annoying. One thing is that is actually obstructs my elbows when I'm steering, but it even fails to support my elbow if I try to lean on it. Instead it slides away.

It is lacking a lot of things. My 116i will come with iDrive, though, because it is the only optional on the 116i here.

But this is specially annoying considering this is a ~USD 50,000 car! Yeah, it costs that much down here in Brazil.

The 118i starts at ~USD55,000 but there is a long queue for it (BMW just changed their MSRPs here in Brazil, believe it or not the 118i used to start at ~USD60,000 a month ago) and I don't have that additional money since I'll add around 5 grant in dealer sold optionals (leather seats, parking sensors and supaglass, since Brazil is not very safe).

Due to all that, I'm going for the 116i but that missing armrest is a real bummer!

The sliding armrest seems to be a bit odd, I agree with you, I'm looking for the same one that has in 118i here in Brazil, though. It's the one that opens upwards.

The F20 has only one type of armrest, and that is the sliding type. I find it very convenient (I have auto box).

It can be retrofitted, but they is NO official BMW Retrofit Kit. So, in order to do it you have to buy seperately the armerest, the locking mechanism and change the center console as well, in order to have the hinges. I do not knwo in Brazil, but in Greece just the parts are approx. 350 Euro + labour.

Shouldn't matter about the engine size, its the actual spec of the car that dictates extras, for example ES is very basic, SE has IDrive but no fancy trim, Sport/Urban has idrive and fancy trim and MSport has external
Fancy trim, wheels etc.

The F20 has only one type of armrest, and that is the sliding type. I find it very convenient (I have auto box).

It can be retrofitted, but they is NO official BMW Retrofit Kit. So, in order to do it you have to buy seperately the armerest, the locking mechanism and change the center console as well, in order to have the hinges. I do not knwo in Brazil, but in Greece just the parts are approx. 350 Euro + labour.

Shouldn't matter about the engine size, its the actual spec of the car that dictates extras, for example ES is very basic, SE has IDrive but no fancy trim, Sport/Urban has idrive and fancy trim and MSport has external
Fancy trim, wheels etc.

I have a 114i Sport and I my dash looks like the 2nd picture.

It sounds like you spec'd the wrong car rather than engine size tbh

That's no the case. It does matter here in Brazil.

Down here BMW offers the 116i only in one trim, and it's only optional is the iDrive.

You can only spec the 118i here (Sport Line, Urban Line and Full). So by chosing the 116i I had no choice besides accepting theses downsides.

That's very strange policy, i am wondering why the bmw in Brasil offers one trim for the 116i, you should have the choice to build the car with the extras you want. In the end you are buying a brand new car!

Look for an f20 being broken on the ebay site for any country that is LHD and simply buy the console with armrest.

I like the armrest and I like the sliding. Never gets in the way when steering or changing gear in either the slid forward or slid back position. I also have my seat in the lowest possible position with the seat base tilted fully up.